The instant invention relates to an iris retractor for increasing the pupillary aperture during eye surgery.
One of the major problems in cataract surgery, extracapsular or intracapsular, with or without implantation of an intraocular lens, is the size of the pupil. The increased intraocular manipulation which accompanies these new procedures is usually attended by constriction of the pupil, which makes visualization of the posterior lens capsule and the capsular fornities quite difficult. Dilute solutions of epinephrine are presently used to increase the pupillary aperture, but these solutions are not without their toxicity and side effects.
There are devices being used in eye surgery today which retract the iris, thereby enlarging the pupil, but these retractors must be held by someone, such as a surgeon or a nurse. Furthermore, the iris retractors currently in use do not provide equal stretching for 360 degrees around the iris.
The instant invention overcomes the foregoing problems by providing an iris retractor which is held in place by suitably designed forceps and which provides equal stretching for 360 degrees around the iris.